Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-09-30

Mr.. Ericsson, who was rather fond
of harmless little side.dishes aud
salads, jelles and creams, WINGED
visibly. Grandpapa Howard stared
at the saucy little girl in blank
wonder.
After tea Mr.. Ericsson sat down
to chat with Violet; but he had
scarcely spoken a sentence before
she rose.
"Excuse me" said she /; "but 1
must 90 and see that the carpets
are brought in from the grass and
the white-wash pals covered
Your room was whitewashed to-
day, Mr.. Ericsson, and thoroughly
scrubbed. saw to it, myself p
"Eh 2" gasped the elderly lover,
thinking of his rheumatism and
sciatica. "Possibly it may be a
little damp-if-.lf any other apart
ment was equally convenient"
"The bedsteads are all down,
and the carpets all OPP interrupted
Violet. "You can either sleep
there or in the barn, whichever you
choose!"
Mr.. Ericsson looked rather dis
comfted. Evidently the velvet
kitten could scratch, if she chose
And wasn't it just possible that
Violet Howard, might be a shrew
He was no PetruchiO to attempt
tanning this Katherine-and-
Just then Mr.. Howard came in,
and the old gentleman's revere
was cut short.
He went, yawning, to his bed
room. at nine o'clock. 1t was rather
stupid to sit by the light OF a
kerosene lamp and listen to old
Towards platitudes. Violet come
near him no more.
"Pbe-e-ew - said Mr.. Ericsson,
looking hopeIessly at the wet floors
and reeking walls of his ROOM
"Sheets damp, I'll bet a cookey
NV good woman" to Dorcas' who
was carrying his lamp, chow often
does your young lady clean housef'
"Four times a year, SIR" said
Dorcas, promptly, "and oftener 1t
she thinks the house needs it.
She's a dreadful smart hOusekeeper,
is Miss Vi'let."
"Four times a year " echoed Mr..
Ericsson, in dismay. "Why mans
life would be scolred and scrubbed
and steamed away from hlm at this
rate
He woke at the first dawn of the
morning, stiff, sore, with aching
mains in every Joint.
"Coniound house cleaning be
thought, as he contrived to draw
his broadcloth coat across the
newly whitened walls, thereby
causing it to assume a resemblance
to a miller's blouse. "Pve had
enough of it,"
He came down to breakfast of
weak coffee, pickles and cold pork
again, with a bag ready packed.
"You're not going to leave us,
Ericsson ?" cried his host.
"I-I find important business
will take me away this morning"
umblushingly lied our venerable
hero. "And look YOU here. How
ard-a word in your earl md,
on mature reflection, that it would
no very foolish for an old cOdger
like myself to think of allying my
self to your - ahem - charming
granddaughter. May and Novem-
Der. ell 7 and all that sort of thing I!
She'll be a great deal happier with
some one nearer her own age
And,r speaking very fast to antlcl'
pate the opposition he saw in Mr..
Herodotus Towards face, "about
that trihe of money between us,
we'll cry quits. What does few
dollars signify between friends =
Take it as a wedding present 10
Miss Violet, whenever she finds
some one to take my place. Ha
ha, haw
And away went VI. Ericsson.
Violet Howard did not waste a
single tear over her recreant lover.
She went merrily on with her
spring cleaning. And when the
annual ceremonial was over she
married-Oliver Bolton 1t was
very singular how Violet Howard
always contrived to have her own
way.
''WpaTIng The BTeecheS."